


The Color Brown, Markets and the  Cruelty of Children

by Cloud_Nine



Series: Colors or How Bilbo Collects the Company Before the Quest to Retake Erebor [2]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Bilbo collects more dwarves, Cruel Children, Gen, No Romance, Platonic Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-19
Updated: 2013-12-19
Packaged: 2018-01-05 04:56:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1089860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cloud_Nine/pseuds/Cloud_Nine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After his dwarrows head back to the Blue Mountains to settle a few loose ends Bilbo finds himself lost without the energy that his dwarves brought to his life. A quick trip to the market results in the hobbit meeting new friends and Bilbo learning that he is not so alone with his gift.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Color Brown, Markets and the  Cruelty of Children

Life with Dori, Nori and Ori was different. Very different. After the late night conversation with Nori, Bilbo and the brothers Ri worked out a very interesting relationship. It was family, tentative family, but family none the less. Throughout the Hobbiton and even throughout the Shire no one was surprised to Bilbo Baggins doing his shopping or running other errands with a baby dwarrow on his hip. 

Bilbo became used to bringing Dori lunch while he worked in the tailor's shop everyday and even Nori’s “surprises” that he would always stash in Bilbo’s home became common place. All in all the Ri brothers and Bilbo were settling in together well. With Bilbo’s help Dori and Nori both had rather nice jobs, legal ones at that, a hobbit hole perfectly outfitted for dwarrows and a ready made babysitter when they needed one. 

Which was why Bilbo disliked their leaving even if it was only a short trip. “Are you sure it will be alright?” Bilbo asked as he watched Dori and Nori pack the last few items for their trip. 

Dori laughed, “We will only be done a few weeks, Bilbo.” 

“Yeah, quite worrying so much that’s Dori job!” Nori remarked with a grin. 

Dori and Bilbo rolled their eyes, used to the smart mouth on the dwarf. “We miss you!” Ori said tugging at the hobbit’s pant leg.

The hobbit scooped the tiny dwarf child and cuddled him close. “And I shall miss you Ori! Of course you will have to watch Nori and make sure that he doesn’t get into any trouble! Can you do that?” Bilbo asked seriously. 

The baby dwarf nodded and grinned a wide gap tooth grin, “Watch Nori.” Ori said still nodding his head. 

“Don’t teach him that!” Nori groaned, “You two are already more than enough, I don’t need the little one acting as my mam as well!” 

Dori snorted and shook his head. “Maybe between the three of us we can keep you out of trouble.” Bilbo laughed at the look of exasperation on Nori face. 

\--

It had been three days since the Ri brother’s had left the Hobbiton for the Blue Mountains, although Bilbo knew that would return he still felt lonely and restless. To help take his mind off his missing companions that had fill his days with laughter, noise and action for the last month or so Bilbo would do whatever he could to stay busy. 

On the first day the hobbit spent all day cleaning Bag End from top to bottom, which was not an easy feat. Bilbo kept his home clean but after spending literally all day scrubbing and washing and dusting the hobbit hole he knew it hadn’t been as clean since the day his father built it. 

The second day, Bilbo took a moment reorganize his study. First the hobbit tried to arrange the books by author but soon realized that if he was looking for a book on elves then it would be very difficult to find. So with that in mind Bilbo then undid all of his work and started again. This happened three times before Bilbo was happy with the end result, by subject, authors name and in alphabetical order. Perfect. 

The third day found Bilbo Baggins without much to do. His house was clean and if he rearranged his books again, Bilbo thought he would scream. For the majority of the day Bilbo walked around Bag End without a purpose. Oh he did the things he would have done before the dwarves, he read a bit, but the hobbit had already grown used to reading aloud for Ori who loved stories. He tried to enjoy a nice meal but Bilbo found he missed the conversation, it was just too quiet. Even sitting outside of Bag End with his pipe lacked the appeal it held before. Perhaps it was because the day before they left Dori and Nori had competed to see who could blow the best smoke ring. 

“This is ridiculous.” Bilbo said aloud. “I lived my life perfectly content before I met those dwarves. Surely I can live it without them for a few weeks.” Despite his words Bilbo was laying on his bed staring at the ceiling.

“I haven’t been this restless since I was a tween.” Bilbo continued just to lessen the silence. “I should get out. Do something. Maybe visit some family.” The hobbit winced at the thought, “Maybe not visit family.” 

Bilbo continued to lay there for several minutes longer trying to decide what to do. “I could go to the market. Surely I could use a few food items. After feeding dwarrow for so long, I’d be surprised if I have anything to eat anymore.” 

The hobbit sat up and nodded to himself, “Yes, a quick trip to the market. That is what I will do. Surely I can find something to hold my interest there, if not I can restock before the dwarves return and eat it all again.” 

\--

The Hobbiton markets were nothing like those in Bree, which Bilbo was thankful for. Instead of many bodies squished together, hobbit markets were well spaced and the vendors much kinder if someone was to ask Bibo. That was why Nori wasn’t allowed to go there, he’d rob the poor hobbits blind. 

“Hmm…how much for...Oomph.” 

“Sorry Mr. Baggins!” A young hobbit lad yelled as a group of little Shire children ran through the market. 

Bilbo who had taken a little hobbit shoulder to the side rubbed at it, “Slow down boys! Before someone gets hurt!” 

“Yes Mr. Baggins!” One shouted back before they disappeared in the crowd. 

Bilbo shook his head, “Wonder where they are off to in such a hurry.” He remarked to the hobbit working the stall. 

“Couldn’t tell you Bilbo, would you like a pound?” The other hobbit asked. 

Bilbo frowned, still rubbing at his side and shook his head. “Best make it two. Lots of mouths to feed you know.” 

“Of course, everyone knows about your dwarves.” The staller owner said with a smile. “They return to the mountains? Will they return?”

“Oh yes, they have a home here now, just needed to settle a few things. Not sure what to do with myself now though. I suppose I just got used to the mess and hassle of having the others around.” Bilbo said paying for the goods. 

“Well, I know they are not your dwarves but my wife saw a few over the way there. Toy makers it looked like, all the children love them.” 

Bilbo felt his eyes widen in surprise more dwarves. “Really? I might pop by and see them.” 

After gathering his purchases and saying good bye the hobbit who was some second or third cousin Bilbo began to short trip to the little area of the market that was rarely used but set aside for travelers who wanted to sell their wares. 

The stall was set up the same as all the others only instead of being manned by a hobbit there didn’t appear to be one working it at all. Bilbo shrugged it off and set out examining the toys that were set out to be seen by the little hobbit children. 

They were carved out of stone, and wood, little balls and figures. Bilbo carefully picked up a top and couldn’t help but admire the design carved onto it. 

“Hello there Master Hobbit, you seem a bit older than most who show interest in my work.”

Bilbo laughed and carefully set the top down, turning to face the voice. “Yes well, I suppose I am shopping,” Bilbo froze, green, brown. 

“Shopping for?” The dwarf asked with a smile that was slightly strained. 

Bilbo shook his head, “A friend's younger brother, pardon me, I thought I saw something.” 

The dwarf smiled, “Not a problem, Master Hobbit, not a problem at all.” The dwarf was similar in height to Nori, his coloring was different then the Ri brothers. His hair, what Bilbo could see under the strange hat, was dark and his mustache was as well. As large as the smile was on the dwarf’s face Bilbo could see tension in his face. 

“Bilbo Baggins, son of Bungo of Bag End, at your service,” Bilbo said not bothering to extend his hand, living with the dwarves had offered an insight to dwarvish culture. Instead Bilbo gave a short bow and met the dwarf’s eyes evenly. 

The toy maker smiled, and swept into his own bow. “Bofur at your service, Master Baggins.” The dwarf smiled that same happy yet strained smile, “It seems that you know much more about dwarrow then the rest of these hobbit folk. May I inquire as to how?”

Bilbo laughed a little, “The friend,” Bilbo refrained from mentioning names, Nori wasn’t the most well liked dwarrow in the world. “Master Bofur, are you alright? You seem a little stressed, is there anything I can help you with?” The strange mixture of green and brown was what drove Bilbo to ask, while green was the color of family the brown was new. Bilbo hadn’t seen brown before. 

The dwarf took a deep breath and seemed to think on it for a moment. “It’s my cousin you see. He’s wandered off.” Bilbo could see the concern in the face of the dwarf and he felt the same concern he had felt when he saw Nori about to lose his hand.  
/  
“Is he younger? Or..”

Bofur shook his head, “No but years back he took a hit to the head you see,” Bofur tapped his forehead to show Bilbo where and shrugged his shoulders. “Sometimes he get’s confused. My brother Bombur out looking for him, but when you don’t know the lay of the land it’s a might difficult.” 

“Is there anything I can do?” Bilbo asked worried, “I can help look or watch the stall. Anything you would like.” 

Bofur pulled at his mustache and shook his head, “Thank you for the offer, but I can’t pull you away from your work.” 

“No, no, it’s fine, I promise, there is nothing pressing that needs attending to today, other than finding your cousin.” Bilbo said firmly. “What can I do to help?”

Bofur shook his head and smiled, “Stubborn little hobbit, aren’t you? I’ll close down for the day and we can split up. Three searchers will surely do better than one!”

“His names Bifur,” Bofur said as he began packing away the toys, “He can’t speak Western but he can understand it. Bombur is to meet me back here in an hour or so, you just do the same.”

“Wonderful. Good luck!” Bilbo carefully set his purchase with Bofur’s wares and the two split up Bilbo heading toward the forest areas while Bofur headed back toward town. 

\--

Bilbo wished that his mother’s gift worked the same for him that it did for her. While Bilbo only saw the color around the special people, Belladonna saw strings. Long thin stretching string that tied her to those she would call family. In the situation of trying to find Bifur Bilbo could have just followed the string, as the hobbit was sure that both Bifur and Bombur would bother have a similar green color at the least. 

Laughter shocked the hobbit out of his thoughts. It wasn’t unusual for little shirelings to play in the woods the edge of the woods mind you, they never got too far in, so Bilbo thought nothing of it, “I should go ask the children if they’ve seen a dwarrow wandering around.” Bilbo muttered to himself changing his course ever so slightly to meet the gaggle of hobbit children he could hear. 

“Do it again!” Bilbo heard a little hobbit shout. Something happened and the children roared with laughter, a little ball of uneasiness was beginning to grow in Bilbo’s stomach. 

When Bilbo broke through the trees and his stomach dropped to his feet. “Stop it! You all stop it right now!” Bilbo yelled, startling the tweens. Bifur had been cornered between two trees that grew closer together with the little hobbits about six feet away, each with a rock in hand. Bilbo wished he hadn’t seen the many rocks littering the ground near Bifur nor the pile of rocks at the feet of the tweens.

“How dare you! I will be telling all of your mothers. Sit down right now, I see you Fernumbras Took! Sit down. I will deal with you all in a moment.” Bilbo yelled, fury bubbling in his stomach. Five hobbit boys, many of which were his kin had been tormenting the poor dwarf. 

All at once the tweens flopped to the ground ducking their heads, unwilling to look up at the angry hobbit that had found the, throwing rocks at the dwarrow. 

“Never in my life!” Bilbo said glaring at each and every hobbit tween, “Have I seen such cruelty from hobbits, and my own kin none the less.” 

“Bilbo we-”

“No. You don’t speak right now, I fear that anything you say will only make me more angry.” Bilbo said still shaking with fury. “I have to help, him.” He jerked his head to the dwarf that had not moved since Bilbo entered the clearing. “Sit down, and keep quiet.” The mouths of the tweens snapped shut and they soon found the ground to be the most interesting thing in the world. 

Bilbo paused and took a deep calming breath. It didn’t help, so Bilbo tried again. “Bifur?” He called softly, just like he thought the dwarrow was covered in the same green as his cousin but he lacked the brown that had Bofur had. 

The dwarrow met Bilbo’s eyes and started making hand motions that Bilbo couldn’t understand. “I’m afraid I don’t quite understand. Your cousin, Bofur sent me. He mentioned that you couldn’t speak Western so I suppose we will just have to muddle through. Do you know where you are?” 

Bifur seemed to think on it but shook his head, making his black and white hair bounce around. 

“You and your cousins are in the Shire, the Hobbiton to be exact and while you haven’t had the luck to see the best of us, we hobbit are normally much more accommodating.” Bilbo said moving closer. “If I may? Would you like help standing?” The dwarrow shook his head and stood uneasily. It appeared that Bifur had been wandering around and fell. Bilbo was unsure how the tweens had found him or what drove them to throw rocks at him and Bilbo knew his stomach would not withstand the answer. 

Bifur and Bilbo managed to make their way back to the group of abashed tweens. Bilbo still felt red hot with anger when he looked at anyone of the hobbit tweens. “Up you get you five.” Bilbo said giving the closest one a nudge with his foot, as angry as he was Bilbo refused to hurt any child. The five little hobbits stood, with their heads still hanging low. “I do hope you all have something to say to Master Bifur.” The little hobbits winced under the harsh glare of Bilbo Baggins. 

“Sorry, Mr. Bifur.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry.”

Bilbo gave the two reluctant hobbits another nudge. “Sorry.”

“Yeah, sorry.”

“Well, I’m not satisfied with those apologies so rest assured I will make sure your mother’s know just how you acted today. I should make you stay and apologize to Master Bifur’s cousin’s as well, since you don’t know how to help a lost visitor they lost a days work.” Bilbo said tone still harsh, the gentle touch of a hand on his shoulder made him turn. Bifur was shaking his head and Bilbo sighed. “Fine, off with you. Rest assured I will be visiting your families tonight. I do hope they will be expecting me.” 

Without another word the tweens scattered, and Bilbo shook his head. “I am so sorry, Master Bifur, hobbits are not like that normally. They’re just fool tweens who lost themselves in a moment of cruelty. I will make sure they are punished for it.” Bilbo exhaled shakily. He felt sick the more he had thought about it. Bifur had done nothing to the little hobbits and they chose to hurt him. Bilbo shook his head, it didn’t make any sense. 

The dwarf that Bilbo could now see was covered in shallow cuts and little bruises, did a series of hand motions and swept into a shallow bow. 

“Dear me, we hobbit’s must be making a horrible impression,” Bilbo said with a slightly watery smile, “Bilbo Baggins, son of Bungo of Bag End, at your service, Master Bifur. If you will follow me, we can get you reunited with your cousins.”

\--

Bilbo led Bifur back to his cousin’s stall still beyond angry. Frustrated tears pooled in his eyes and Bilbo could not believe what he had just seen. Those boys were the same ones that had bumped him in the market. He knew them all, he knew their families, they were family. It just blew his mind how cruel the children had been. 

The closer Bilbo and Bifur got to Bofur’s stall it was obvious that Bilbo was the last to return but he figured it didn’t matter much as he had found Bifur. “Bifur!” Bofur called rushed forward to meet his cousin, a large dwarf that was colored in green like the other also came forth. 

Bilbo winced when the dwarrow bumped head, considering Bifur had what looked a piece of an axe sticking out of his head, but he guessed it was a greeting. 

“What happened Bifur?” The large dwarf asked, Bilbo decided he must be Bombur that Bofur mentioned earlier. 

Bifur began to talk in a language that Bilbo had no hope of understanding. It was rough as if his words were rocks and stone but the other two seemed to understand him well enough. 

Bilbo twisted his hands together, unsure of what Bifur was saying, Bofur seemed to notice his unease. “He says he forgot where he was and took off trying to find us. Then he stumbled upon some wee hobbit lads.” Bofur furrowed his brow and looked between his cousin and Bilbo. “That’s about all he says.”

“That’s because the hobbits here have dealt him a great injustice.” Bilbo replied solemnly, “I found several youngster, including my own kin tormenting him.” Bilbo shook his head and bowed deeply. “I am so sorry, Bifur.” 

Bombur and Bofur exchanged a look, “Aye, he mentioned that.” Bombur admitted. Bilbo gaped shocked. “We weren’t going to say anything. You hobbits have been right kind to us, and we can’t blame everyone for the actions of a few.” 

Bofur and Bifur nodded leaving Bilbo to shake his head in disbelieve. “Dwarves.” Bilbo said unable to think of anything else to say. 

Bofur laughed a bit and clapped his brother on the shoulder. “Well then, come on lads, we should find a place to stay for the night. The markets done closed for the day.” 

“I have two spare rooms.” Bilbo said picking up his bags from earlier. “They are a little cluttered, little Ori uses one for a playroom when he stays over but I can promise you good food and a warm bed for as long as you need it.” 

“Oh no, Bilbo we can make due,” Bofur said earnestly but Bilbo was having none of it. 

“Think of it as repayment, for how my kin acted. It is only proper.” Bilbo told the dwarrow, looking insistent. 

The three exchanged meaningful looks and several words in the language that sounded as hard as stone before they nodded and agreed to rest at Bag End. “We agree.” Bofur said with a grin. “Bombur requests access to your kitchen, my brother is quite the cook.” 

Bilbo smiled and laughed a bit, “Of course! There is always room for more in a hobbit’s kitchen!” Bilbo declared, then softer and more to himself. “Plus nothing can be worse then when Nori tried to cook.” 

“Nori? That old thief! That’s your friend?” Bofur exclaimed. “It’s a wonder you have anything to cook with left in your home. Why this one time….”

\--  
Later that night after the dwarrow had been fed and watered, Bilbo sat in his study thumbing through his mother’s journal. It was only through Belladonna’s writings that Bilbo had any idea what the colors of his gift meant. For the first six months he had dealt with the gift Bilbo had the journal with him always. While his mother had never set out a real guide to the gift her comments and stories were easy enough to understand. 

Of course when Bilbo had the time he had set out and made himself a guide to his gift. It held little notes some quoted from Belladonna, some from Bilbo’s own experiences. Green means family. When close enough Bilbo could see the strings that his mother saw connecting people, but they never connected him. Green with lavender meant maternal relations, green with blue meant paternal. Silver indicated age. Everything was neatly written out in a clear easy to read format. 

Everything except brown. Of course it wasn’t the only color that Bilbo didn’t have a meaning for, but with a dwarf in his home that was surrounded in that rich color it was slowly driving Bilbo mad. 

A knock at the study door, drew Bilbo from his thoughts. “Oh! Bofur! Come in, come in.” Bilbo said waving the dwarf in. “Here just pull the chair away from the wall and you can sit there.” The dwarf grabbed the chair and settled himself into it. “Is there something you needed?” Bilbo asked closing his mother’s journal giving his guest his full attention. 

Bofur shook his head, “No, everything is fine. Better than that to be honest.” The dwarf smiled. “Just wanted to say thank you, for housing us and the food.” 

“It was my pleasure, especially after the incident earlier.” Bilbo said smile tightening when he remembered finding Bifur. Bilbo had ducked out and visited the home of each of the children while his guests were cleaning up. It hadn’t been nor easy but the hobbit was glad that it was over and done with. 

“They were just children.” Bofur said patting his host’s hand. “Bifur is well, there is no lasting damage. It’s alright, Bilbo.” 

The hobbit shook his head, “No it is not. It was shocking to see what they had done. I felt sick. I still feel sick then I think about it. They were just being cruel, Bofur, there was no reason for what they did it was pure cruelty.” 

Bofur sighed, but didn’t speak, he just gave Bilbo’s hand another pat. 

Bofur as old as he was, and having lived with Bifur for many years it was easy for him to shrug off the incident. Oh he was upset and it hurt him that Bifur had suffered but after the first thousand times he knew that there was little to be done. The dwarf felt his heart hurt for his cousin and for the hobbit who had witnessed the cruelty and been affected so harshly by it.

The two sat in silence for a long while. Neither felt the need to leave or speak, the silence was not uncomfortable nor suffocating it was thoughtful and just a little bit sad. 

“What does brown mean to you?” Bilbo asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

Bofur gave the hobbit a quizzical look. “Brown?” The dwarf leaned back in his chair and tugged at his mustache thinking. “Home.” The dwarrow said shrugging. “Why do you ask?”

Bilbo fiddled with the edge of the his mother’s journal. “I have a gift.” Bilbo began. “ It lets me see things that most couldn’t see and when I look at you Master Dwarf I see family and something else that I can’t explain.” 

“Oh?”

“Green is family. I see green on you all, but there is something about you that is different and I can’t explain it.” Bilbo said, ignoring the way his heart fluttered dangerously fast in his chest. “Here.” Bilbo handed the dwarf his guide with a shaking hand. 

The dwarf took the paper and looked it over humming and ha-ing as he read the guide. “So you see this in colors?” Bofur asked looking at the hobbit over the paper guide, when Bilbo nodded the dwarf looked back at the paper. “Well, if it helps when I hear your voice it sounds like home.” 

Bilbo blinked in surprise. “Excuse me?”

The dwarf laughed, “Your gift is rare but it does exist outside of you, Bilbo. Mine is a bit different, mind you but the results are the same. Whereas you see the connection, I can hear it. It echoes like a voice in a mine shaft.”

“Home.” Bilbo said trying to decide how the word felt as a description. The dwarf handed the guide back and both smiled when Bilbo penned in his neat script brown means home.

\--

“I can’t believe you adopted more dwarves.” Nori said sitting in the floor with little Ori rolling one of Bofur’s wooden balls back and forth. "Where we not enough for you?" Nori asked pretending to be hurt.

Bilbo blushed red and shook his head from his chair in the den. “I didn’t adopt more dwarves. I have never adopted dwarves!” He said trying to sound serious, but the sound of Dori snorting before tugging at the short braid that Bofur had weaved into his hair before they left, ruined that.

“What were their names again?” Dori asked suddenly staring at the bead that held the braid in place in the hobbit's hair.

“Bofur, Bombur and Bifur.” Bilbo replied confused. 

Dori laughed, “Nori, do you not owe old Bifur money for that bet from just before we left the mountains?”

The dwarrow with his hair styled in a star descended into curses. 

“Watch your mouth!” Dori and Bilbo shouted together as Ori giggled.

**Author's Note:**

> Like my fic? Wanna talk to me about it?? Find me on tumblr! 9cloud-nine9.tumblr.com


End file.
